Valve with resilient pressure actuated seal



Nov. 3, 1953 c FOLMSBEE 2,657,897

VALVE WITH RESILIENT PRESSURE ACTUATED SEAL 1 Filed July 30, 1947 ,INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 3, 1 953 VALVE RESILIENT PRESSURE.

ACTUATED SEAL n (llyde H. :Folm'sbee, Bloomsburg, Pa; asslgnor to American-Car and Foundry Company, New

N. Y., acorporation of "New Jersey AppIicationJulySO, 1947,"Serla'l No." 764,662

4 'Llaims. l This invention relates-to: valves-in general and in particular to angle type valves having all 1eakage surfaces sealed by resilient pressure'actuated seals substantially 'free of. mechanically imposed pressure.

Valves: as generally?constructed have been made of castings requiring'a'oonsiderable' amount oflmachiningand rejections due to porosity of thecastings. Also, the valves have-required a considerable amount of machining, threading, etel, seas: to permit the nse-oigaskets and compressible packings. The: conventional use-oipressure packings has resulted in valves being hard tooperate when the pack-ings are tightened sufficientlyrto :preventleakage ancLthis is particularly true of :the' higherpressure-types "of valves. Itis an-object; thereforepoiathe present inventlon. to provide. a compact, light I weight valve which can be easily operated when-under pressure and. by a. minimum. diameter of operating wheel.

A further object of the-.invention is the provision .of a compact, light weight valve which doesnot'require excessively. fine machining, yet willbeelfectively sealed at :all jointsby resilient paokings substantially freefof any but line pressure.

A;still further iobject ofthe invention :is the provision of1a valve which 'whenielosed has its seat-sealed byv a resilient member shiftable to-. ward the leakage space. and substantially free of any: but line pressure.

Yet anotherobj ect .01 the invention the provision; .of& a valve havingthe" body and other parts, made of drop forgin s, thereby permitting li hte weieht'with r ater-strength and. w thout porosity.-

. These. and other objects of-- the inventionwill be apparent to persons skilled in the art .from a study of the following description and 846.60. pany ne d w n s, in which Fig. 1 is a sectional view taken substantially through the vertical central part of the valve;

Fig. 2 is a part plan part sectional view taken substantially on. line 2.--.-2 of Fig 1,; and

F g-B s n en r ed ec ional view of the valve eat seal.

Referring now .to the drawings in fdetail it will be seen :that the bodyA is preferablymade as a dropv forging having abolting flanged from-which extends upwardly the-substantially tubular main body portion 6. This main body portion is-provided on one'side with an embossment 8 having an opening therein internally thread as at l tobe connected into a pipe line. This embossment may; when desiredpbe made-larger to*"pro= vid'e bolting fianges instead of the-threadedcom neetion shown. "*Theupstanding-cylindrical main body portion is boredoutfrom" the bottom as at 12, while the flange i'sbored out asat ll-toprovide" a shoulder. The top portion "01 the" body portion is bored out" as at I 6 and the r grooved as at-4810 receive asnapringdll. "The bore -12 has"'fitted" therein-a bb'dy seat memberB which may beprefer'aiblymadeas a drop forgingwith *aninternal" passage" 22" surrounded at" its upper edge by abeveledseatu', which seat terminates at its upperedge' ina rounded tip or l-ip-ZFmerging' into'an-upstanding portion 28- spaced irom the" bore "I 2' as clearly shownin Figs; l "andS. The bottom portion *0! the valve seat member is sho'rilderedasat "3 B and provided with a grooved projection 3 2 *adapted to cooperate with a gasket plaeedbetween the'vafve seat member B and the timk or other structure to-whieh thevalve-body is attached. The valve is attachedtothe'tanlc or other structure by means- 0f boltsor other --devices-pass'ing' through openings ilk formed in the bolting flange 4; His, ofcornea-obvious thaitth'e valve may be attached to 1 the tanlror other structure by "means" other than the bolting flange-"shown; Since leakage couldoccur between the removable "valve seat member -B and the bore -12"; theoutside surtace of the upstanding portion of the-removable valve, seat member is grooved as at 36 to' receive an annulus of-- resilient material 38--having a 'circular cross-section. This annulus is 0f such adimen sion as to snap over-' the upstanding'portion-of removable-seat member 3 and be slightly 'com pressed between" the-bore new: the bottom of groove 36.

"seated-'within 'thebore16 a removable stem guidelmemberc whichmay be ioim'ed either-as aldrop forging or cut rrom a-piece of roundfil he memberO'hasa central opening fll iormod therein: to receive-"the valve stem later to bereterred to. The outside portion of the stem guidemember-is machined as at tojfit within the'bore lfl, and this 'majchin'edportion has-a" groove '44 formed therein into wlii'chcawbesnaplxd an annulus of resilient material Mi 'andfoi' circular cross-section. This annulusiwill' be lightlycompressed hetweenthe bott m; 01' thegmcve and the bore 16. The stem guidemember is held-in position by the snap ring" 20;, previously referred to; and rests upon a slight shoulder" 48 formed within'thevalve body. The uppenouter portion. of the .upstandinsnortion of'the valve body is thr'eaded as at 50 to cooperate with similar threads cut in the sleeve portion 52 of the hand wheel or operating member D. This hand wheel or operating member is preferably formed as a drop forging having the sleeve 52, previously referred to, and the rough-- ened gripping rim 54. The web 55 of the wheel is preferably depressed and braced by ribs 58 and has a hole drilled in the central portion thereof for reception of the upper end of the valve stem later to be referred to. Since air may be trapped within the sleeved wheel a small vent hole 60 is preferably bored through the sleeve and into the interior, thereby venting the same and preventing build up of pressure within the sleeved hand wheel.

The valve member E is likewise preferably formed of a drop forging having a stem 82 projecting upwardly from the enlarged valve portion 84. The stem 62 extends through the hole 48 of the stem guide member C and has a groove 88 cut therein into which can be snapped an annulus 68 formed of resilient material of circular cross-section. This annulus will be of such a size as to be lightly compressed within the hole 48 formed in the stem guide member C. The upper end of the stem is reduced in diameter to provide a shoulder for reception of a bearing washer l and the stem projects through the web of the hand wheel and is threaded to receive a lock nut 12 which may be tightened down onto a bearing washer 14. The bearing washers I0 and 14 are preferably of the oil impregnated or self-lubricating type in order that the friction between the stem and hand wheel may be reduced to a minimum. In order that the lock nut can be applied and removed the stem is provided with a flattened or wrench-receiving area 13 accessible through the discharge opening in embossment 8. The enlarged valve portion 84 is formed with a depending lip 18 under cut as at 18 to provide an outer bearing surface for an annulus 80 formed of resilient material and of circular cross-section. The stem projection 82 has a groove cut therein to receive a snap ring 84 adapted to retain the seat washer 88 in position. This seat washer is provided with a beveled seat 88 formed at a slightly different angle than the seat 24, previously referred to, and merges into a surface 90 spaced from the undercut 18 a distance sufliciently great as to but lightly compress the resilient annulus 80 in a horizontal direction. The seats 24 and 88 are so arranged as to contact each other when the valve is closed so that the lip 26 will but lightly bear upon the resilient annulus 80 and compress the same very slightly in a substantially vertical direction. It should be noted that the lip 16 overlaps the upstanding portion 28 of the removable valve seat member B and provides a definite clearance 92 therebetween. It should also be noted that while the valve seats 88 and 24 have been shown as formed at slightly different angles, they could be formed at the same angle, but in any case a small space 84 would be provided between the seat 24, annulus 80 and edge 90 of the washer 86.

Since the valve seats 88 and 24 need not be carefully machined or lapped, leakage may occur and any leakage will cause the annulus 80 to shift toward and partially into the clearance 82 and the higher the line pressure, the tighter the annulus is wedged toward the clearance. Since the annulus is of resilient material it can conform to slight irregularities on the lip 26 and undercut I8, thereby effectively preventing leakage. In

4 case the pressure should be acting in the opposite direction, it would cause the resilient ring to shift into the clearance space 84, thus again effectively sealing the valve against leakage. In other words, the resilient annulus will effectively seal against leakage in either direction and it can never be destroyed by excessive pressure applied by the wheel D, since the metallic seats 24 and 88 predetermine the amount of mechanical compression placed upon the annulus 88.

When the valve is in an open position the annular rings 38, 48 and 88 will effectively prevent any leakage between the members which they contact. These rings like the ring 80 will be urged by the pressure into the clearance space between the parts and effectively prevent any leakage between the members or, in other words, along the leakage surfaces. These rings will function in either direction and in the same manner as described in connection with annulus 80. In other words, these rings 38, 46 and 88 can shift within their respective grooves under line pressure and be wedged by the line pressure into the clearance space between the members. In case the line pressure is subatmospheric, then the rings will be wedged into the clearance space in the opposite direction, thus it will be seen that the valve can be used either on high line pressures or vacuum line pressures and will effectively seal against leakages. Since the rings or annuli of resilient material are but lightly compressed, there can be no excessive friction between the parts such as is present in mechanically packed valves. The only friction of any quantity will be that existing between the stem and hand wheel due to the line pressure thrust upon the valve portion 84 when the valve is in closed position.

With the valve constructed as shown of drop forgings the parts may be made much lighter than normally, and due to the sleeved type of hand wheel the overall clearance or height of the valve may be greatly reduced. It will, of course, be obvious that certain parts not subject to line pressure, such as the hand wheel, could be made of castings if it is so desired. It will also be obvious that all of the parts can be made of castings, but applicant prefers to make the parts of drop forgings in order that the weight and size of the valve can be reduced, thereby taking full advantage of the improved method of sealing the leakage surfaces. While the valve has been described more or less in detail with specific reference to the one form, it will be obvious that the parts may be readily rearranged to produce other types of valves without departing from the scope of the invention as de-. fined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a valve, a valve body having intersecting passages therethrough for the flow of matter under pressure, a body seat member in one of said passages and formed with a body valve seat, an upstanding lip formed on said body seat' member outwardly of the valve seat, a valve stem member in one of said passages, a depending lip on said valve stem overlapping and spaced from said upstanding lip to define a predetermined clearance space therebetween, a groove formed in said depending lip and having its lower edge extending below the upper edge of said upstanding lip when said valve is closed, an annular resilient member of substantially circular crosssection located in said groove and having its inner lower surface lightly compressed against the upper and outer edge of said upstanding lip, and means fastened to said valve stem member to retain said annular member in said groove, said means engaging said body valve seat to limit the approach of said valve stem member toward said body seat member when said valve is closed whereby said annular member cannot be compressed beyond a predetermined minimum.

2. In a. valve, a valve body having intersecting passages therethrough for the flow of matter under pressure, a body seat member in one of said passages and formed with a body valve seat, an upstanding lip formed on said body seat member outwardly of the valve seat, a valve stem member in one of said passages, a depending lip on said valve stem overlapping and spaced from said upstanding lip to define a predetermined clearance space therebetween, a semi-circular groove formed in said depending lip, and having the lower edge thereof extending below the upper edge of said upstanding lip when said valve is closed, an annular resilient member of substantially circular cross-section located in said semi-circular groove with its centroid located outwardly of said upstanding lip and having its lower inner surface lightly compressed against the upper edge of said upstanding lip, and means fastened to said valve stem member to retain said annular member in said groove, said means engaging said body valve seat to limit the approach of said valve stem member toward said body seat member when said valve is closed whereby said annular member cannot be compressed beyond a predetermined minimum.

3. In a valve, a valve body having intersecting passages therethrough for the flow of matter under pressure, a body seat member in one of said passages and formed with a body valve seat, an upstanding lip formed on said body seat member outwardly of the valve seat, a valve stem member in one of said passages, a depending lip on said valve stem overlapping and spaced from said upstanding lip to define a predetermined clearance space therebetween, a semi-circular groove formed in said depending lip and having its lower edge extending below the upper edge of said upstanding lip when said valve is closed,

an annular resilient member of substantially circular cross-section located in said groove and having its centroid located substantially verti.. cally above said predetermined clearance space and having its lower surface lightly compressed against the upper edge of said upstanding lip, and means fastened to said valve stem member to retain said annular member in said groove, said means engaging said body valve seat to limit the approach of said valve stem member toward said body seat'member when said valve is closed whereby said annular member cannot be compressed beyond a predetermined minimum.

4. In a valve, a (valve body having a body seat member formed with a body seat, an upstanding lip formed on said body seat member, a valve stem member movably mounted in said valve, a depending lip formed on said valve stem member overlapping and laterally spaced from said upstanding lip, an annular resilient member of substantially circular cross-section bearing on said lip when said valve is closed, and retaining means secured on said valve stem member to retain said annular member in bearing engagement with said depending lip, said retaining means bearing on said body seat and so formed and arranged as to provide clearance space therebetween adjacent said annular member, and said annular member being deformable under pressure of matter in the valve and shiftable toward said clearance space to seal said valve.

CLYDE H. FOLMSBEE.

References Cited in the file Of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,792,945 Van Deventer Feb. 17, 1931 1,808,254 Rice June 2, 1931 1,861,916 Hennebohle June 7, 1932 1,868,665 Kuhnle July 26, 1932 1,983,163 Buckman Dec. 4, 1934 2,114,789 Urquhart Apr. 19, 1938 2,123,477 Sheedy July 12, 1938 2,147,332 Cornelius Feb. 14, 1939 2,417,494 Hoof Mar. 18, 1947 2,431,437 Van Der Werfi Nov. 25, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 421 Great Britain of 1885 12,911 Great Britain of 1904 

